Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Another NABRE Improvement: Genesis 20:7

I do enjoy pointing out the various improvements from the original 1970 NAB OT to the newly revised NABRE OT.  Here is another example, from Genesis 20:7:

NAB '70:
"Therefore, return the man's wife - as a spokesman he will intercede for you - that your life may be saved. If you do not return her, you can be sure that you and all who are yours will certainly die."

NABRE:
"So now, return the man’s wife so that he may intercede for you, since he is a prophet, that you may live. If you do not return her, you can be sure that you and all who are yours will die."


The NABRE explains why the newer translation is superior:
Prophet: only here is Abraham explicitly called “prophet,” Hebrew nabi (cf.Ps 105:15).

This is also the first time in the OT that a person is called a nabi which makes the NABRE revision all the more important.

2 comments:

hoshie said...

Tim,

Here's the verse in the Confraternity version as printed in a 1953 Douay-Confraternity Bible:

Therefore, restore the man's wife; since he is a prophet he will pray for you that you may live. But if you do not restore her, know that you will surely die, you and all that are yours."

Besides the NT, this Bible has Confraternity text for Genesis though Ruth and Psalms.

Dennis said...

Or you could go with the RSV-CE which I am finding I really prefer:

"Now then restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you, and all that are yours.”

Very similar to the Confraternity that hoshie refers to also. it is interesting looking across the varying translations and seeing many consenting verses, then others that use very odd phrasing and translation.